Multiplay i58 Epilogue

Last weekend was a busy one for Rize as the management team attended the Multiplay i58 event alongside UK CS:GO team. Eighty (80) teams stood in the way of CS:GO team's success with the squad sitting in Group D as favourites.

It was all rather routine for the guys as they went through each best of one group game with ease. No team managed to push Rize into conceding double figures and with Friday night drawing to a close, the team finished flawlessly with 4-0 at the top of the group.

Progressing to the Pro Series Elimination the team faced off against the final 16 teams, all posing individual threats of an upset. The game was more of a challenge than in the group stages but ultimately the win over TCA was an unsurprising outcome.

Meanwhile, the management team put together an Overwatch side that left something to be desired.

'The less said, the better.' - @Rize_HLK

XPC.gg followed and the controversial Romanian team showed their strong chemistry, making it difficult for our boys to break them down in the notoriously synergy-critical map Cobble. The game ran close but we were unable to get over the line in the surprising best of one format in the second round of the winners side.

The formatting decision meant it was a last chance for the boys' tournament survival and whilst in the final 8 of the tournament, tough opponents The Last Resort stood in their way of furthering their competition lifespan. The first game was tricky, with the squad relying on some individual pieces of magic to swing momentum in their favour. Leading the series 1-0 it was this game that the lads dug deep, clawing back from a round deficit to force an overtime. Temperaments were certainly measured at this point with our guys securing a flawless overtime victory on CT side and preventing TLR from doing the same.

Next for the team were familiar faces in the form of Enemies in Disbelief - perhaps an omen for the squad given the mutual respect and insider knowledge that both sides shared. Both maps went to the wire but minor errors in communication were enough for EiD to take the win and remove the team from the tournament in 5th place.

I spoke to Sheekey and this is what he had to say after the event;

'Obviously we're disappointed with our final placement but that is because we set the benchmark so high for ourselves, all being previous winners in different teams etc. We all felt like anyone could have won the event and ultimately that was probably the cause of our unexpected exit at this stage also.

With just over four weeks to prepare I am pleased that our experience as individuals were valuable in our team performances. Immi came in as the IGL for this team and didn't have much time with us to prepare as he is used to. His contribution has been greatly appreciated. We're all focused on qualifying for EPS next, with the LAN finals for that competition something we're confident of winning if we get there.'

The size of the ambition from the team is quite clear and with a professional approach to their next challenge I am sure we're not too far off from more success with the CS:GO division.

We'd also like to take this opportunity to thank Chillblast for helping us provide quality gaming systems to our players during the event. Their service has been second to none and you should head over to www.chillblast.com now and check out their range!

"RizeGaming is a global eSport organisation that has continued to grow since it's birth in 2009. Sporting successful divisions in CS:GO, DotA 2, Console & Fighting Games - the company has developed a unique rythm between management and playing staff.
Our vision is to become a standout brand in the eSport sector, combining competitive success with a street-level perspective of the community surrounding it.
A key element to our desire in reaching the pinnacle of the global industry, is to nurture and develop untapped talent within our divisions, giving teams the best possible environment in which to progress their own eSport career.
We're on a journey to the top, #RizeWithUs." - Mike Reynolds, CEO